Mackay council shake-up: Martin Bella pushes for rotational deputy mayor system

A bid to shake-up the Mackay deputy mayor role has been resoundingly defeated with outspoken Councillor Marty Bella firing a few shots at the council. Read what happened.

A motion to rotate councillors through the deputy mayor role has been defeated, with Karen May remaining in the job and a few split opinions among the council ranks.

The council voted 7-4 to keep Mrs May as deputy to Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson after Cr Martin Bella moved a motion to circulate it through elected representatives.

Councillors Pauline Townsend, Fran Mann, Belinda Hassan, Michelle Green, Justin Englert backed Mrs May, along with the mayor.

Mr Williamson said after the vote Mrs May was a popular representative and a change was not necessary.

Mackay Mayor Greg Williamson backed his deputy in the vote. Picture: Duncan Evans

“It (the role of deputy mayor) is not a role for personal development,” he said.

“This is a $350m business that we’re operating here, representing 120,000 people so there is no personal development in the role of deputy mayor.

“The deputy is elected generally for four years and that has been the case ever since amalgamation.

“The bulk of the councillors could not see any reason to change that particular methodology.”

Mr Bella had argued a rotational system would give councillors a chance to grow and develop their experience.

Mr Williamson added Mrs May had “topped the poll” in the region in the past two elections.

“So she is well supported by the public in Mackay,” he said.

Councillor Martin Bella claims a ‘Greg Williamson alliance’ blocked his motion. Picture: Duncan Evans

Councillors Martin Bella, Laurence Bonaventura, Alison Jones and Russell Seymour voted in favour of the motion.

Mr Bella said Mrs May had taken on a separate office from the other councillors and this had crimped information flow.

“I believe it concentrates information at the top and that is not the way council is supposed to work,” he said.

He added a rotational system would keep the deputy mayor more firmly embedded alongside the other councillors.

Karen May has kept her spot as deputy mayor. Picture: Duncan Evans

“It also shakes it up every so often,” he said.

“It stops that echo chamber.”

Mr Bella said the vote had split along “party lines” and suggested a “Greg Williamson alliance” had worked to block his motion.

“There are still traces of the group,” he said.

“I’m still very strongly of the opinion that that (the alliance) exists.”

Mrs May rejected Mr Bella’s notion of a political bloc in the council.

“People are free to vote and say whatever it is they like,” she said.

“There is no ‘Greg Williamson alliance’ in council.”